1. Field of the Invention
This invention is concerned with a transfer apparatus for transferring articles from a take-off station to a selected one of a plurality of receiving stations, and is especially, but not exclusively, suitable for use in the manufacture of shoes.
2. Prior Art
Transfer apparatus of the aforementioned type, though not necessarily for use in the shoe industry, is known, comprising a multi-axis "robot" arm, in the operation of which the arm may extend telescopically or be constituted by a number of links pivotally connected together for providing an extension of the reach of the arm, or indeed may be moved bodily, so as to enable articles transferred thereby to be deposited at different receiving stations. The greater the reach of the arm and also the greater the number of axes with which it is provided not only increases the overall cost of the apparatus, but also increases significantly the bulk of the arm and its consequent inertia. Thus, the rate at which energy is consumed in operating such arms tends to be high and furthermore the speed of operation tends to be relatively low.
It is thus the object of the present invention to provide an improved transfer apparatus which is relatively inexpensive and which does not have the problems of inertia of the type referred to above.